Contrasting flow pathways within tropical forest slopes of Ultisol soil. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.

Chappell, Nick A. and Sherlock, Mark D. (2005) Contrasting flow pathways within tropical forest slopes of Ultisol soil. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 30 (6). pp. 735-753. ISSN 0197-9337

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Abstract

There are very few experimental studies identifying hydrological pathways within rain forest slopes. Such knowledge is, however, necessary to understand why forest disturbance affects rainfall-riverflow response and nutrient migration. This study examines flow pathways within lowland rain forest slopes comprising Udults of the Ultisol soil order. Experimentation was conducted on four SE Asian hillslope units (each 5 × 5 m in plan) in the Bukit Timah catchment (Singapore Island), and in the W8S5 catchment (Sabah, Borneo Island). The flow pathways were identified by artificial tracer experiments. We evaluated how well hydrometric calculations based on tensiometry and permeametry measurements predicted the tracer patterns. The tracer work indicated much faster subsurface flows at Bukit Timah than W8S5 for the storms studied. Some explanation of the greater subsurface waterflows at Bukit Timah in comparison to W8S5 is afforded by the less steep moisture release curves which maintain hydraulic conductivity as the soil dries. Vertical flow of the tracer through the upper 1 m of soil predominated (>90 per cent of percolation) in the Bukit Timah slopes. In some contrast, a major component (approximately 60 per cent) of the tracer percolation was directed laterally within the W8S5 slopes. The flow vectors calculated using the hydrometric methods did, however, grossly under-estimate the degree of lateral deflection of waterflow generated at W8S5 and to a lesser extent over-estimated it at Bukit Timah. In part, these errors may relate to the inability of traditional hydrometric techniques to fully characterize the effect of the large and small natural soil pipes present within both catchments. In conclusion, the study indicates that marked variations in flow vectors exist within the Udult great group of SE Asian soils and hydrometric calculations may be poor predictors of these dominant pathways. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
Additional Information:
This paper details the findings of the first replicated tracer experiment in rainforests and forms the basis for a completely new conceptual model of riverflow generation within the humid tropics. The idea was Chappell's; Sherlock was his student and conducted the tropical fieldwork. RAE_import_type : Journal article RAE_uoa_type : Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/researchoutput/libraryofcongress/ge
Subjects:
?? HUMID TROPICS • MACROPORES • PERMEABILITY • SOIL PIPES • TRACERS • UDULT • ULTISOLEARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCES (MISCELLANEOUS)EARTH-SURFACE PROCESSESGEOGRAPHY, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTGE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ??
ID Code:
2072
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
09 Apr 2008 08:27
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
19 Sep 2023 00:14